Cris Roosenraad, 75, died at home on Monday, October 24th, from a heart attack. Cris came to Carleton in 1983 as the Dean of Students, a position he held for ten years. During that time, he also served as a Lecturer in Mathematics and Director of the Career Center. After 1993, he served as the college’s Pre-Medical Advisor and Senior Lecturer in Mathematics until he retired with emeritus status in 2007.
Cris’s colleagues remember him as always willing to jump in to help with unmet needs. When he realized that the Math department didn’t have anyone to teach the Teaching Methods course, Cris taught himself the field and covered those courses superbly for many years. He cared deeply about students’ lives and the life of the College long past his retirement.
Colleagues also remarked about Cris being a major part of the “social glue” of the Math department. He was unfailingly cheerful and friendly, always looking for common ground with others. He would drop into people’s offices to discuss the most recent news story or the movie he had just seen (usually as soon as it was released).
Cris is survived by his wife, Susan, and their son, Chris (Jodi), and granddaughter, Evelyn. A more complete obituary can be found at the Bierman Funeral Home website.
A memorial service will be held at the Carleton Chapel on Saturday, November 19th at 2pm A reception will follow in Great Hall. Please hold all of Cris’s family, friends, colleagues, and former students in your thoughts and prayers.
Comments
A fine man and an excellent colleague. His intelligence and dedication will not be forgotten by the many who knew him.
I have such fond memories of Cris. One memory that speaks volumes about the kind of person he was. Once, when my son was about 4 or 5, I brought him to campus and over the course of the day I introduced him to several of my colleagues, including Cris. For years afterward whenever we got together, Cris never failed to ask how he was, remembering his name (having met him for all of 3 minutes many years earlier!) But he was like that--he made connections with people easily and remembered small personal details about our lives. I will miss his warm smile and his genuine concern for students and colleagues.
I will always remember his smile and sense of humor.
Cris was in charge of the premedical committee when I first joined the committee in my early days as a faculty member. Part of that committee work requires helping with mock interviews for premedical students in the evenings spring term. As the premedical advisor Cris was at all these sessions helping students hone their interview skills. Cris modeled for me how to be honest and forthright with students while still remaining positive. Also, in between interviews I always enjoyed my conversations with Cris about the students, movies, and good reads. Thank you Cris.
I was fortunate to learn differential geometry from Cris as an undergrad at Williams College in the 1970s. What a treat it was! I rtemember remarking to Cris, shortly before my graduation, that "your class is never quiet and that's a great thing." He seemed pleased to hear that. Another thing I learned from Cris concerns race relations. At that time Williams had a program to support the 5% (please don't quote me on the exact number) of American students from underpriviliged backgrounds. I remember in class one day, making the leap that the 5 (or whatever) percenters were African American students. Cris looked at me in a very kind way and said "How do you know that this group is African American?" I quickly learned that he was spot on, as I realized that many of my African American friends cam from much more affluent backgrounds rhan I. In short, though it's been almost 50 years since I had the priveledge of learning from him, I still treasure those times. PS Cris and his wife knew Bill Freehan, a great catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Very cool.